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The Spirit of Freedom

The Spirit of Freedom

Alma 61:15 says in part, “according to the Spirit of God, which is also the spirit of freedom which is in them.” For years when I read that I thought Pahoran was being a little over the top to equate the spirit of freedom with the Spirit of God.

He wasn’t. Our agency is the most important thing we have from God. It is worth the price of the infinite suffering of the Son of God. I don’t wish to take time to try and explain or convince anyone of the magnitude of the importance of this principle.

I believe Thomas Jefferson summed it up well by saying, “I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” But as always the most powerful words come from Jesus Christ, who said that we must have agency “otherwise there is no existence.” (D&C 93:30)

Agency Essentials

In order to have agency in this life we need to have the following: (this is borrowed from a book by H. Verlan Anderson and thank him and his son Hans V. for this information)

1. Life and some degree of physical and mental health and strength.
2. Liberty of action or the absence of restraint and coercion.
3. Knowledge of those laws which must be obeyed to achieve one’s goals.
4. The right and control of property.

The spiritual is always more powerful than the physical. Our spirits control our bodies.
When viewed from a spiritual or eternal point of view the above list changes a little. As a spirit your life is harder to remove from you. You don’t need clothing or shelter or food and physical health is not a factor. Since you don’t need these things property control is not a concern. Liberty of action seems to be a given insofar as the individual has the power to ascend to higher realms he can. It seems that it is only our choices which limit us and not another’s choices.

But the need for knowledge or truth is vital and overpowering of all else in any state of being. No matter what else you have if you don’t have the truth you cannot be free. No matter what else external forces may deprive you of if you still have truth you will be able to be free. If I know the truth and they steal all my property (or more likely prevent me from using it) or lock me in prison I can yet be free in the future. And if I have the truth and they kill me I am completely free right then.

So Satan’s real efforts are to prevent a person from finding the truth. Any person or organization of people which seeks to prevent you from gaining more knowledge is inspired of Satan. If someone uses their power to prevent you from reading or publishing something it says nothing about the validity or usefulness of the material but is tells everything about the source of the person’s motive.

Agency Killer Number One

It is the perverting of truth or lying. It is injected into us as false concepts. This goes deeper than we can realize. I would just like to discuss one very close to home aspect of it, that perhaps we can free ourselves from this avenue of attack upon our agency.

Most all LDS are completely aware of the doctrine of Papal infallibility. Here is a great definition of what I am talking about.

Papal infallibility is the dogma in Roman Catholic theology that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at least being intimately connected to divine revelation

So according to this the Pope when speaking as a Pope can’t be in error. Aren’t we all thankful that we don’t fall for this poppycock? Or do we?

This is what we have heard and been taught.
President Wilford Woodruff said:
“I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty” (Official Declaration—1).
Elder Marion G. Romney recalled an experience he had with President Heber J. Grant:
“I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting, I drove him home. … When we got to his home I got out of the car and went up on the porch with him. Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’ Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray’ ” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p. 78).
And from thence comes the saying, “Just follow the brethren.”

These sentiments then amount to a Claim of Human Infallibility. This is the exact same as papal infallibility it just applies to 15 men instead of one. And anything and everything that the prophets and apostles agree to give us is what God wants for us to have right?

Well what about when the prophet Samuel gave the children of Israel a king? Did the Lord want them to have a king? No He did not. Did He instruct Samuel to do it? Yes He did. So the Israelites followed their prophet and they were blessed just as Heber J. Grant said they would be right? Well if you call a cursing a blessing from God yes they were really “blessed”.

We can add to this Moses having the gospel of Christ ready to give the children of Israel and then the Lord commanding he give them a taskmaster law instead for the next 1500 years. This was yet another curblessing to be sure.

We are told by God to do all things by common consent. And even in our councils we must be unanimous in order to implement the plan. The brethren speak of this principle.
And yet there are many practices which are enforced upon LDS members as if they were the law of God which were in fact never set forth as doctrine, revelation or anything just a way of viewing things. They become church practice and obtain the force of church law by use and not by revelation. They are just correlated into regulations and enforced as the Lord’s law upon us.

By this method the LDS church has lost many principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A list of these may shock you. We have lost a lot more than the liberty to not wear a white shirt and tie to pass the sacrament. But even that liberty should never have been lost.

Her are some examples.

The law of consecration

Where is the revelation discontinuing it? Why are we not given the opportunity to live it now? Part of the covenant of God with Israel is that He would give them lands for their inheritance. Without the law of consecration this cannot happen.

The law of tithing

If you read D&C 119 it says tithing begins after you enter the law of consecration. How can we start to live tithing until we do the initial consecration?
And then under this disabled law we are told that income is interest. Where was the revelation or even the vote of the council of the twelve or the church?
I am thankful that Gordon B Hinckley put it so correctly that we can see there none of these occurred. Read with me from his, “The Sacred Law of Tithing,” Ensign, Dec 1989, 2
“Tithing is so simple and straightforward a thing. The principle, as it applies to us, is actually set forth in one verse of section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
“And after that [after the Saints offered their ‘surplus property’ to the bishop in 1838], those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.” [D&C 119:4]
For many years, presidents of the Church have interpreted “interest” as “income.” Beyond that, they have not elaborated.”

Notice what he did not say. He did not say any of the Prophets (a priesthood title referring to the president of the High Priesthood) have interpreted interest as income. He said presidents of the church (a corporate title) and not even all of them but many of them. Did Joseph Smith interpret it that way? And he never said the Lord interpreted interest as income.

The law of plural marriage

No revelation given to end the practice. Read carefully the official declaration. Here is the summation paragraph.

There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy; and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.

President Woodruff just says, we have stopped practicing it and we don’t teach or encourage polygamy anymore. And then he gives advice to the church members to put the law of man above the law of God.

Making of temple garments by church members

I know in times past it was allowed. The Lord speaks of making our own garments in D&C 42. Why is this right given by the Lord now removed? What did I do to lose it? How can it be that if I now make a temple garment I can be subject to reproof?

The reality is that to change the meaning of the Lord’s revelations is to pervert the Holy Word of God. Mormon and Moroni told us this would happen. I just thought it would be at some future date. Realizing these things for myself is like taking a trip by airplane to a distant city for a real important interview. You are real tired and ask the hotel night clerk to give you a wake up call a 7 am because you don’t dare miss that meeting. Then the phone rings and you wake up. Thanks you say and hang up. Then glance at the clock and see it is 9:30! You are awake but the event has already past.

To convert tithing from ten percent of interest to ten percent of income effects every member of the church in a profound way. Do you believe the Lord is pleased with these things?

By believing the present Claim of Human Infallibility we are robbed of much truth and we have not been blessed for it. We are cursed for it.

But amidst all the lack of truth passing as the will of the Lord there are things that are said which are true. And the scriptures are still full of truth.

Although Dallin H Oaks may say our personal line of revelation is suspect and weak that is not what the Lord says. Let that which is true sink into your heart and dwell there that you can act upon it.
Here are two quotes. Take from them the truth and then hold up all else in the light of that truth.

It is not to be thought that every word spoken by the General Authorities is inspired, or that they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in everything they write. I don’t care what his position is, if he writes something or speaks something that goes beyond anything that you can find in the standard church works, unless that one be the prophet, seer, and revelator – please note that one exception – you may immediately say, “Well, that is his own idea.” And if he says something that contradicts what is found in the standard church works, you may know by that some token that it is false, regardless of the position of the man who says it. We can know or have the assurance that they are speaking under inspiration if we so live that we can have a witness that what they are speaking is the word of the Lord. There is only one safety, and that is that we shall live to have the witness to know. President Brigham Young said something to the effect that “the greatest fear I have is that the people of this Church will accept what we say as the will of the Lord without first praying about it and getting the witness within their own hearts that what we say is the word of the Lord.” (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye In Holy Places, pp. 162-3, “The Prophet, Seer, and Revelator,” Address delivered to seminary and institute teachers, BYU, July 8, 1964)

To the faithful Latter-day Saint is given the right to know the truth, as God knows it; and no power beneath the celestial kingdom can lead him astray, darken his understanding, becloud his mind or dim his faith or his knowledge of the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It can’t be done, for the light of God shines brighter than the illumination of falsehood and error, therefore, those who possess the light of Christ, the spirit of revelation and the knowledge of God, rise above all these vagaries in the world; they know of this doctrine, that it is of God and not of man.” (Joseph F Smith Conference Report, October 1909, pp. 8–9.)

Do not fear to reject outright things which run counter to the Spirit of the Lord as it is manifest in the words of the Lord in the scriptures and in your heart. Your freedom to return to God rests upon your willingness to reject the doctrine of the Claim of Human Infallibility. So we need not accept as from God all that is given through the Claim of Human Infallibility or the CHI for short.

“Beyond that, they have not elaborated.”
“The Church has clearly taught that…”

There is a catholic radio station that I listen to at times. I have noticed this “the Church” language to be catholic in origin. Most shows include people calling in to ask doctrinally related questions of the host. No answer consists in analyzing what God would want or what God has said — but they always say, “Well, the Church has said…” and then go on to quote this or that council or pope-statement.

I read on Denver Snuffer’s site that:

“when the Mormons have been Mormons as long as the Catholics have been catholic — the Mormons will be more catholic than the Catholics.”

I’ve always taught that First Presidency Statements can officially interpret scripture for LDS. For example, FPS’s have interpreted hot drinks as tea and coffee and interest as income. But this post makes me reconsider that view. As it is the saints that decide the canon, surely it is the saints that decide the interpretation. It is the saints that make anything “official.” As FPS’s are not voted upon and placed in our canon as official interpretation, must we take the FPS’s as the word of the Lord? It is surely possible that three men can issue a FPS that is inline with the mind of the Lord, but it must also be possible that the FPS may not be correct. Just because the three are united, does that automatically mean that the FPS is right? I’ll have to give this more thought and study. Thanks for giving me something to chew on.

It is interesting how history is repeating itself. As I mentioned on another post, when I have had occasion to look at the CHI, the bishop has actually read the pertinent passages to me, instead of allowing me to browse and read it myself. I found the practice quite strange, but no longer.

Apparently, the Pharisees during the time of Christ added to the law of Moses with their oral law.

“The oral law explained as well as supplemented the law and was added with the intention of helping people keep God’s commandments. In other words, they were trying to help God by adding some rules and guidelines which they felt would be beneficial. They claimed that the oral law came from Moses, just as the written law.

Perhaps the most striking example that could be selected of the manner in which the Rabbis developed a Biblical ordinance is the Sabbath. Whereas Scripture merely lays down the general law that no manner of work is to be performed on that day, a whole Talmudic tractate is devoted to the study of what does or does not constitute a desecration of the Sabbath.”(Source: Modern Day Scribes and Pharisees.)

It makes sense, then, that the CHI is the modern, Pharisaical version of the oral law and that I should find bishops reading it out loud to members.

A modern example of the Pharisaical CHI oral law was given recently by Justin on The Garment post, in which detailed instructions concerning the garment were written in section 3.4.3 Making Temple Ceremonial Clothing and section 3.4.5 Wearing and Caring for the Garment. The temple instructions given in the endowment are very brief and general concerning wearing it throughout one’s life and not defiling it, leaving the wearer to determine for him or herself how to comply, whereas the Pharisaical Oral Law (POL) explains in great detail just what is and is not proper compliance.

The CHI derives its power in the same way that the POL did. People had to go to the Pharisees to get it spoken to them. They could not obtain a written copy and put it side-by-side with the scriptures to compare. It was extra-scriptural. The members had no say as to what the POL contained. They couldn’t vote to accept or reject it. Their leaders alone controlled its contents. It was, essentially, secret knowledge, dished out as seen fit. Yet, despite all the secrecy, people were judged by the POL instead of just the law of Moses. In the same manner, the CHI is our modern-day equivalent of the POL.

There have been more than a few blog posts lately among Mormon bloggers about the recent revision of the CHI. Some of those bloggers have tried to give away copies of that copyrighted work. In all honesty, I did not give much thought to all of this, except to note how incensed everyone seemed to be about the secrecy surrounding these manuals. I’ve read some of the various versions of the CHI and I found them quite boring. My focus has ever been on other gospel areas and I thought to just let others carry this torch and lead the way. However, I am no longer of the thought that the CHI is a minor issue.

Because I now see the CHI as the modern POL, it poses a very real threat to every gospel principle. As long as it exists, the Pharisaical element within the church will remain in the church. It must be destroyed, somehow. The bishops and stake presidents and other leaders will never sanctify themselves and rely solely upon the word of God and the Holy Ghost as long as these manuals are in existence. The extra-scriptural “unwritten law” (oral law) will always supplant the Spirit, as it did with the Pharisees. It is as clear as water to me. No real change in the church will be had until this Pharisee bible is removed once and for all. I’ll have to give this some more thought, as I don’t know how this can be done. Obviously, copyright infringement would be a start to the eroding of its hold upon the leadership, but I’m not certain that even massive copyright infringement would be enough to take it down.

Perhaps a systematic attack on the CHI, in which each section is compared to the written word and shown to be extra-scriptural and a modern equivalent to the POL, so that the reader can plainly see its insidiousness, with a corresponding widespread email or mail campaign, perhaps that would do something to wake the LDS up to their Pharisee-surrounded church environment. If the members have a clear understanding of the manuals and that they are not bound to abide by them nor should they, then the Pharisaical element will lose its stranglehold on the reins of church power.

I watched some of the leadership meeting that the Church recently decided to broadcast — amid the rabble online about how they were planning on not allowing any portion of the meeting to be seen by non-attendiees.

I only watched a few minutes of Elder Cook’s remarks. Of what he said, I wrote down:
–This is quoted from the CHI, Book 2:

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ are to labor for the salvation of the souls of men. That means:
-Member missionary work
-Convert retention
-Activation of less active
-Temple and family history work
-Teaching the gospel

This is how we are counseled to labor for the souls of our brothers and sisters?

–The focus seemed to be on getting bishops to delegate more tasks to other councils within the congregation. Speaking of Ward Council, Quentin stated that the CHI emphasizes that:

Members in ward council should speak honestly from their personal experience and from their positions as organizational leaders.

I noticed an absence of our councils being directed by the Spirit — only personal exp. and administrative position within the Church(TM) hierarchy.

–Also, both he and Dallin Oaks said that they wanted every ecclesiastical leader to read the first three chapters of Book 2. Perhaps I will work on a post that discusses those chapters if there is any interest from the readers here.

In closing, if anyone would like a pdf of the 2010 Claim on Human Infallibility (CHI), he or she need only leave a comment stating such following this one. The e-mail he or she provides on the comment form need be anonymous. Were someone to do such a thing, I would be sure not to violate any laws of the state by forwarding the books in question. The comment he or she left would also be deleted after I recorded the email address that was provided.

As I’ve had a couple of hours to ponder about how to counter the CHI, the thought struck me that individuals working alone might not be enough. What might be necessary to effectively take it down is an organization of latter-day saints presenting a united front against the CHI. Something ilke “Say Bye! to CHI: Latter-day Saints for the Recall and Destruction of all Church Handbooks of Instruction”. The organization could guide a movement among the membership, giving them tools and propaganda by which to systematically educate the membership on Pharisaism and the CHI and fight all attempts by leadership to use CHI rules, and not the scriptures, to judge membership conduct and belief. I think by banding together as an organization, instead of fighting it individually, more can be accomplished to pull Pharisaic notions down and point people to the scriptures.

(Now, I’m just mulling thoughts over in my head. I wouldn’t know the first thing about organizing people, but if anyone out there thinks this might be an effective and good idea, and you know how to organize, knock yourself out. I’ll be the first to join.)

I don’t think I am the person to organize such a battle. But I can join it and supply some of the truths needed to wage it.
And comparing it to a battle it may be truly more powerful and effective and unstoppable if it has no known organizer. In the battle at Lexington and Concord in the American war for independence there is a statement attributed to one of the king’s officers. He was being told to defeat the enemy and arrest their leaders. He answered to the effect, “And who is the leader?”
The inability of the enemy to know who to excommunicate and sue before the law maybe useful in helping people to join the fight.
For now here is some truth we need to fix in our minds.
Laws of man are not laws of God. Cicero said, “True law is right reason in agreement with Nature…it is of universal application, unchanging and everlasting…. we need not look outside ourselves for an expounder or interpreter of it. And there will not be different laws at Rome and at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and for all times, and there will be one master and one rule, that is, God, over us all, for He is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing judge.”
Obviously we are talking about the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost as being our guide here.
As explained in the post above we will be blessed and cursed according to what we choose to do or be.
George Mason said in 1772 any law of man which conflicts with the Law of God is void because obeying that law would bring us under condemnation before God. Since the men whom made the defective law cannot protect us from God’s displeasure they cannot justly demand our obedience. Here is his quote:

All acts of legislature apparently contrary to natural right and justice are, in our laws, and must be in the nature of things, considered as void. The laws of nature are the laws of God; Whose authority can be superseded by no power on earth. A legislature must not obstruct our obedience to him from whose punishments they cannot protect us. All human constitutions which contradict his laws, we are in conscience bound to disobey. Such have been the adjudications of our courts of Justice.

So in regards to the portions of the CHI which are contrary to the truth of God: “we are in conscience bound to disobey.”
So as Joseph stated in D&C 123 it is our imperative duty to bring to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—

Why does the corporate church require the CHI to remain hidden from view? I have read in it may times over the years and it is not because there are sacred things there. I believe it is because the correlated church does not want this law of men to be held up to scrutiny and compared to the word of God.
The efforts of the corporate church in preventing anyone from revealing the contents of the CHI is yet another example of preventing children of God from finding the truth. It seeks to prevent us from exercising our agency. Since obeying this restriction would require us to disobey God we are in conscience bound to disobey it.

These are some great ideas. I was thinking too that the best way to effectivly destroy the CHI would be to compare it to scripture and point out the conflicts.

Also I think you are right about forming some sort of organization.

dyc4557, you presented some inetersting ideas. I like the quote about not knowing who the leaders are. And I think that is a really big key in doing this. Most members are afraid of excommunication. It is for that very reason they wont speak out. But while being protected from excommunication is important. I also think it is important to have a “support” system for those who are excommunicated. I’ve never been excommunicated before but I imagine it would be a very different experience. I think people should be aware that while they may be excommunicated from the Church(TM) they probably haven’t been excommunicated from the church.

People like Alan and me would more likely to be targets since we aren’t anonymous. So I think that will play in important role.

It is the forum I’ve been setting up for the Latter Day Saints United in Jesus Christ group. It’s still not done and I still have to upload the website. While this group isn’t necessarily focused on the CHI maybe it could serve as a place to gather people. The goal of this group is to build Zion. And Zion cannot be built as long as there is a CHI.

Boyd Packer gave closing remarks in which he repeated many times [as did the other speakers] the message of D&C 46:2:

“notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit.”

While at the same time, he [and the other speakers as well] emphasized the importance of strict compliance with the CHI. The point was clearly made in the meeting that strict compliance with the CHI was required and it wasn’t open to any individual changes that a leader might see fit — while the whole “guided by the Spirit” thing seemed to just be mentioned out of a feeling of duty.

Well I am going to start reading and comparing and compiling what I find. We can see where and how to act upon it as we go.

Two observations. The discussion here and on other sites is having an effect. It is unprecedented to have this church put up a website devoted to allowing everyone to see the handbook 2 and then the meeting being made public also. I believe they did as a result of the awakening of so many people and websites like this and others. I believe it was the pressure of those clamoring for the truth that has brought this about. I also take note that they made the text available to view online not for download. Am I wrong? It would have cost them less to allow it to be downloaded than to be viewed in the new beta site set up.
But this manner allows for it to be cut off when ever they want also. But the information in book 2 has always been available in the form of excerpts in smaller manuals. So publicizing the meeting was from pressure too. So we can and are having an effect. I will bet the PR department is the ones monitoring these site. ( HI GUYS how’s life in the COB? )

But I don’t believe that the comments about being lead by the spirit were out of a sense of duty. It is standard indoctrination techniques at work. In 1992 Bill Clinton was a candidate for the US presidency. It was public knowledge that he was had been unfaithful to his wife. This was a big problem for his chances to be elected. Yeah hard to believe but even as recently as 1992 whether or not you were an adulterer made a difference to the public. So they were invited to appear on 60 Minutes which had huge ratings at the time. You would think they would say all positive and just not mention the big A problem. No after a little small talk they launched into it big time. They didn’t pull any punches. But then they had Hillary and Billary say how it had been a struggle but they confess and forgive and worked through it, blah, blah . Bill Clinton comes out smelling like a rose. The director of that show later bragged about how he had totally rehabilitated Bill in the public’s mind. He knew exactly what he was doing. You say one thing but couch the whole thing in such a way that you determine the thoughts and feelings that the audience takes away from the presentation.

That is what the worldwide training all about. They could have communicated what they did in 30 minutes. But it takes the other 90 minutes to manipulate our thoughts. I don’t know how many times I heard that this is all for the salvation of God’s children. If it is true you only need to say it once and the Spirit will testify and people will remember it for their whole lives. But when there is an ulterior motive you must state a truth and then carefully inject your audience with the falsehood you wish them to attach as part of that truth. And it takes several repetitions of this till the two ideas become accepted as one. Cognitive dissonance doesn’t fall into place naturally.

Follow the spirit in all things and follow the ideas of men in all things don’t naturally group together in a rational mind.

Zo ma rah I will check out your site and as I get stuff from the comparative study I will see if you want me to put it on there.

Brothers as Patrick Henry said, “There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations and, who will raise up friends to fight our battles.”
Well if over nations surely then over the church that bears His name.

It should display two subforums. One is for Book 1 the other is for Book 2. In book 1 I posted some sample topics. There should be one topic for each section of the CHI. If you start a topic please number it according to the section in the CHI, like the samples.

You’ll need to register to post. I hope this will be helpful in at least organizing our discussions and comparisons of each section of the CHI.

I am interested to see this development and will be watching the progress of your project. I think there will be even more of the use of the Handbook you described in comment #3 above now that CHI Book 2 is online at the Church website.

The CHI is filled with good principles and good counsel. I make my study a matter of prayer. I figure if I can’t ask the Lord’s spirit to help me it isn’t a good thing to do. But this is so I do.
So far I am up to page 19 and have found 5 things that make me say why. Ironically besides working to support my family (we need to eat) my church service is the thing which cuts into my time.
There will be good things to learn so stay tuned to LDSA.

I am getting nowhere in talking to my bishop about what Handbook one says. He “quotes” it in opposition to what handbook 2 says. Does anyone know where I can find an online copy of Handbook 1 [Edited to remove e-mail address]?

I will send an e-mail to you later today that will have book 1 as an attachment. I edited your comment to remove your e-mail address from public display — it’ll cut down on your spam. I can see the address you put with this comment.